There are all sorts of garden tools out there to meet every imaginable gardening need. Only a portion of those will actually be that useful to you though. Let’s go over a few gardening tool essentials that’ll make basic gardening tasks a cinch!

Gloves

Good garden gloves are a must! These will become your trusted friends and will protect you from blisters and other painful garden incidents! There are many different kinds of gloves and some work better to serve a specific purpose. Try them on for size to make sure they’re a great fit!

Long Gauntlets: These are great for when you’re trying to prune roses!

Leather: You’ll want these for when you’re having to handle sharp materials that could cut you.

Cloth/Rubber: These are great for when you’re trying to complete tasks that require a lot of hand movement or flexibility.

Neoprene: A glove that combines both cloth and neoprene is what you need if you’re going to be working with a lot of water or when it’s raining outside.

Shovels

Shovels have a round or pointed blade. They’re used to move soil and dig holes for planting. You’ll want to look for a yard shovel with a flat edge at the top of the blade. Having the flat edge gives your foot a much better surface to lean on when digging. Look for metals that are rust-resistant, such as carbon steel. One continuing solid piece of metal is also preferred.

Hoes

Weeds are such a pain! And a very unfortunate part of gardening reality. But they can be a lot easier to handle with the right garden tools! You can opt for grabbing the little rascals by hand and taking them out one by one, but an easier way is to just use a hoe. Hoes are also really great for breaking up soil. For these tasks and more, you’ll want to choose a rolled steel blade that’s riveted to the handle for extra strength and durability. 

Trowels

Trowels are awesome tools for digging up and moving small amounts of dirt (they’re hand-held and more compact than shovels). If you’re looking for durability, a steel blade trowel is the way to go. You’ll also want to look for trowels with a soft rubber handle for good grip. Ergonomically-designed trowels are also great to have for those long days out in the garden, so you can take the pressure off your wrist.

Rakes

Rakes are great for gathering leaves in the fall and other debris that may crowd your garden. You can get either a slim rake or a wide rake. Slim rakes make it easier to get debris around or stuck in between plants.  A wide rake is what you want to use to quickly gather up those fall leaves! It’s best to have both kinds of rakes so you can perform each task more efficiently. Getting ones with ergonomic handles are helpful for rakes too!

The best way to make sure long-handled tools are going to work for you and your height is just to try them out. Make sure they’re not going to require you to work in uncomfortable or strange positions since this can lead to a lot of pain. Try the handles too to make sure they’ll be comfortable to use for extended periods of time.

Pruners

Pruners are used to shape plants, prune, and deadheads throughout the year. If you’re looking for a cleaner cut then find good, sharp pruners that won’t rip or tear your plants!

Typically, there are two types of pruners – anvil pruners and bypass pruners. Bypass pruners work a lot like scissors and are best for pruning live, soft plants. Anvil pruners work more like a knife and are best for cutting dead, or more woody and thick plant material. Just so you’re warned, buying pruners can get pretty pricey so make sure you don’t go overboard!   Find one that is well-constructed, with a durable blade and you should be set to go!

Garden Forks

If you hope to break up your garden’s soil, a yard fork is the best bet. Compared to a pitch fork, garden forks are thicker and shorter. Don’t opt for ones that have flat tines, get ones with round or square tines. You can easily use a yard fork in place of a spade as well.

Water Cans

An excellent watering can is easily a must-have! A quality watering can will make life so much simpler for a gardener with lots of plants to water. Look for ones that can be easily tilted, maneuvered, and feels stable in your hand.

Summary 

As I said, these are the verrry basics of what garden tools you can choose to have at your disposal, but they’re a great place to start! Remember you can always rent bigger tools at home improvement stores if you’re not sure how much you’ll use them! Read on to find out more about how to get your garden started!